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Original poster

Where in London to definitely avoid (no judgement)

133 replies

PenisesAreNotPink · 09/09/2014 22:17

I've been researching areas, every time I find a property in a road I like I do a google search on crime - and obviously lots of areas that come up are rife with crimes I'm particularly nervous of owning teenagers, knife crime.

So what areas/roads are particularly challenging?

My current favourite areas are kilburn, cricklewood, kennington, borough, Greenwich, Westminster (westminsters my favourite but only get 300 square feet max for my money and I really need a 2 bed)

OP posts:
Original poster
PenisesAreNotPink · 10/09/2014 16:08

I did say how old dd is, she will be at uni when we move. Unlikely to be living with us but we need somewhere for her to pop back to, hence the extra room.

I don't intend to do much living 'in' it, I intend to be out a lot more.

I don't live in a flat, I said it would be a massive downsize - 3 bed/3 receptions at the moment. A lot of stuff to get rid of.

I definitely feel as I get older that I have and don't need too much stuff and I've spent so long looking after children as a carer that I'm happy to spend the next 10 years going out to places and doing very minimal housework.

I wouldn't say that's 'la la land' and I'm sure you didn't mean that to be rude, it's just my priorities are different now.

OP posts:
Original poster
PenisesAreNotPink · 10/09/2014 16:09

And I don't want a 'home'. I want to go out to dinner, have a couple of pints and go to bed and doze off to 'Breaking Bad' - if that's ok
with you Wink

OP posts:
MrsDeVere · 10/09/2014 16:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
PenisesAreNotPink · 10/09/2014 16:22

You can just tell it's going to be a cave Grin

Lovely block though

OP posts:
PinkyAndTheBump · 10/09/2014 16:22

How about E4 or E17. Victoria line into central London. 3bed house with garden for £350k out the Chingford Line from Liverpool Street.

PinkyAndTheBump · 10/09/2014 16:24

What about Stratford? Loads of new flats. And 7 mins to St Pancras!

Original poster
PenisesAreNotPink · 10/09/2014 16:30

You can't get home after the tube shuts that far out though, I've had the hideous night bus experience before.
1.5 hours to get back to where I'd parked my car after watching the basketball at the 02, no tubes, no clipper service when it finished - thousands of people stranded at the O2.

I want to walk home, not travel as I want to be out later than 11 occasionally (heresy)

OP posts:
Eggs · 10/09/2014 16:36

If you like Greenwich you should look at Charlton, only minutes away and £1000's cheaper!

RiverTam · 10/09/2014 16:39

the O2's stuck out in a weird bit of Greenwich though. And you'd be cabbing it from the centre back home, wouldn't you - shouldn't have a problem, especially to E London. But walking home would be great.

I totally get what you are saying about your lifestyle changes (I notice you only say what you are wanting from this change, no mention of your DP?) but I just think you are vastly underestimating the importance of having a decent amount of space at home, space to think, to contemplate, to be.

shaska · 10/09/2014 16:45

OP that flat in Kennington looks lovely and I wouldn't personally be worried much about crime there. But definitely go for a stroll - you'll know if it's dodgy, you'll be able to feel it!

Also I'm with you about small places - we lived in a TINY place for years because we loved the location so much but couldn't afford anything bigger, and we still look back on it fondly and think it was worth it at the time.

MothershipG · 10/09/2014 16:48

How about Fulham? This is quirky, half a mile to 3 tube stations.

2 beds and a balcony Half a mile from Barons Court.

And irrelevant to you - but Northfields is lovely, I live here, it is not 'nothingy', I am offended! Wink Should you wish to live in this delightful area there are a couple of flats in your budget....
Near south Ealing tube
And nice but a bit of a schlep
Plenty of places to eat and drink in Northfields!

ohbladee · 10/09/2014 16:50

I too think OP is bonkers for spending £400k on a small flat BUT I currently live in a small flat worth about that and am quite capable of 'being' here. It's in a great location and has everything we need. It's a gorgeous building, quiet and close to Central London. Right now I'd much rather live here than spend the equivalent rent on a place in a boring area, with no character etc just for a bit more space.

If I had £400k to buy though I would buy a house.

We're all different though.

Original poster
PenisesAreNotPink · 10/09/2014 16:55

But you do have that and you dont buy a house Confused

Sell your place, but a house?

Or instead tell me why you don't, tell me why you really love your central London place

OP posts:
Original poster
PenisesAreNotPink · 10/09/2014 16:56

Even if you're housing association you could still swop it for a house?

OP posts:
ohbladee · 10/09/2014 17:06

Sorry OP, my post was for River!

We rent our flat for £1100, cheaper than I think the landlord could get for it but we've been here a while and before prices went crazy in this bit of zone 3. We couldn't afford to buy it. At the moment we love it. But if we were magically given the huge deposit needed for us to afford a £400k properly to BUY id go for a bigger place because we want children etc. We simply can't afford to buy where we live.

I'm sort of agreeing with you OP in that I don't think space is the be all and end all if you live as a couple Smile

LondonGirl83 · 10/09/2014 17:09

I'm not sure what stats you are looking at regarding crime but Lordship Lane is perfectly safe.

You should probably take a look at crime per capita and think about how much activity there is in general.

Without thinking about it, the stats are taking you to places with no crime because they are virtually empty on the weekends. That doesn't really make them safe, it just means there aren't as many people about to get robbed.

Like others, I've lived in London for 11 years and I have never (knock on wood) been attacked on the street or anything like it. I live in Dulwich and no one I know has every been mugged though one of my friends was mugged in Barnes (on his way home with a bottle of milk) and the other in Fulham (at a bus stop someone snatched her purse).

Original poster
PenisesAreNotPink · 10/09/2014 17:11

Shall we swop for a while?

You can have my 3 bed, 3 reception in Herts and I can get your London pad Smile

We are thinking about renting but the figures don't quite work - can't rent this place for as much as I'd have to pay there

OP posts:
MrsFlorrick · 10/09/2014 17:18

You can easily afford Greenwich and Blackheath which are lovely.

You may scrape to the outer edges of Islington but it will be v small and certainly not crime free.

Greenwich has some of the vibe Islington had about 10 years ago plus river frontage and the park.

I'd avoid Catford. It may be affordable but it's not very nice. Depressing really.

Forest Hill is an option but less "London" than Greenwich etc.

Dulwich could be an option but you would have to live in East Dulwich rather than the Village which isn't as nice or crime free. Or Tulse Hill which is a bit grotty.

Original poster
PenisesAreNotPink · 10/09/2014 17:21

I like Greenwich but I only want to live right next to the Clipper service, not more than 5/10 minutes walk, and definitely not up the hill towards Blackheath though the properties are lovely

I want to live somewhere easy - there's one flat on the water I like in Greenwich, it might have gone though

OP posts:
Original poster
PenisesAreNotPink · 10/09/2014 17:23

www.rightmove.co.uk/new-homes-for-sale/property-45712432.html

It's this one . Can easily divide the living room temporarily to make a bedroom

Think it's too far from the clipper service though, was getting it confused with one right next to it

OP posts:
Julius02 · 10/09/2014 17:26

Agree with MrsFlorrick - Greenwich and Blackheath are lovely but may (in my view) be difficult to afford. I would avoid Catford, although I think it is changing.

What about Bromley? It's a London borough, but is a town in it's own right with good shopping, cinemas, theatre etc. It's very affordable and the trains from Bromley South station to Victoria are frequent and take less than 15 minutes - if you have a job in Westminster it makes it very commutable. And last trains back are well after midnight these days. You can also get trains to the City (Blackfriars or London Bridge) which take about half an hour. You would get a nice flat for your money.

Beckenham is also nice, slightly further in and has a more villagey feel, nice restaurants and a lovely park. Feels a bit more Londoney somehow.

I've only been mugged once and that was in Cricklewood.....

EvilRingahBitch · 10/09/2014 17:29

I'm with you OP. A spare room that's rarely used or a garden you don't really care about are nothing compared to an extra hour of every single day spent commuting. And the difference between Kennington and Greenwich when it comes to getting home after a night out is huge.

shaska · 10/09/2014 17:33

OK OK I'm sorry for being mean about Northfields and I take it back!

Original poster
PenisesAreNotPink · 10/09/2014 17:33

I'm as far out as Bromley now and it's way too far.

I'm sick of getting the last train home with the drunks and cutting short my evening - a mile walk is really what I'd prefer.

If I had to live in a suburb and not go out in town then Bromley is absolutely as good as any Smile

The suburbs I like are Mitcham and other places in Surrey, got family there

OP posts:
Julius02 · 10/09/2014 17:39

OP that flat isn't particularly near the Clipper, it's closer to Deptford, but it would be walkable.

In my view some of these new developments are really overpriced, and crammed into the 'less nice' parts of nice areas.

You can get much more for your money a bit further out (I know space isn't your priority) or if you go for something older. You can get nicer flats for £400k and without a service charge of over £200 per month.